Forget me not
How much do you remember about the brands you interact with? Do you recall their colours? Their packaging? Slogan? Have you ever found yourself singing the Vegemite jingle or spot that particular shade of aqua blue and think of Tiffany’s?
Powerful brands have a way of staying with us, long after we’ve purchased their product or seen their advertisements. Sometimes by becoming part of our language and culture (‘Not happy, Jan!’) and sometimes whether we like it or not (like that guy from that National Tile company).
Brand recognition is defined by how well people identify or recognise a brand by its attributes (logo, slogan, colours etc.). Strong brand recognition is a key influencer in consumer purchasing decisions and those brands who do it well can cut through without even displaying their name or logo.
A recent example of strength in brand recognition involves the world-famous chocolate synonymous with the colour purple. Cadbury recently partnered with Age UK for a campaign to raise money in support of loneliness for elderly people. As part of the campaign, Cadbury removed all the words from the packaging of their Dairy Milk Chocolate as a way of ‘donating their words’ to the cause, and encouraging others to reach out and start a conversation with the elderly in their communities.
This campaign is not only admirable in its intent, it’s also an impressive sign of how well consumers recognise the Cadbury brand without it having to be spelled out for them. Target, Apple, Shell, Nike and Starbucks are also big brands who have adopted this approach – a true testament of the strength of their brands and the confidence they have in the power of their mark to work alone.
So how exactly can you boost your brand recognition? Here are some simple things you can do to help you get started:
- Start with strategy – build a strategy around your colours and why it represents your brand. Colour and visual perception are highly important as it’s often where the first impressions of your brand are made.
- Consistency is key – keep your branding consistent with its messaging and design. The more consistent your brand = the easier it will be to recognise.
- Online presence – Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter. Having a greater presence on social media platforms widens your audience and makes it easier for people to reach you.
- Referrals and testimonials – word of mouth is a powerful way to boost your brand. Starting a referral program and encourage testimonials from happy customers help to spread the word about your product or service.
Boosting your brand recognition is a process that requires continual time and effort, but by consistently keeping it at the forefront of your marketing activities, it gives your brand a better chance at being selected and remembered by consumers.
Test yourself on your brand recognition!
Q1: What colour is the second o in Google?
Q2: What’s M&Ms slogan?
Q3: How many stars are in the Subaru logo?
Q4: What is the mermaid in the Starbucks logo wearing?
